The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-05-21
Ghe farnrer,
Ensilage at McDonogh.

We publish the following letter no the
american Farmer from Farm SupEerinten-
dent Clousher, of McDonogh, fqE the ben
eft of our farmer readers, to whom it will
no doubt be of interest:
Messrs. Editors Americ2fn Farmer:
took charge of the McPonogh Institute
Farm January LIST, 1881. During that
winter 1 would coms as near as 1 could
every ten days to LOOK after the stock, ETC.,
and on the oath Sf March moved here
with my family,
tanning SONG ensilage; the pit was built
straight up on the sides, and all around
the outside of the entire pit was great
deal of mouldy ensilage, some being black
rotten, fully foot inwards. used this
same pit, and visited number of my neigh
bofs who had ensilage pits, and l found
them just the same, containing a great
deal of ensilage wasted and lost by rotting
on the outer edges.
In the year of 'S3, having to rebuild my
pit, I told the principal of the school, Col.
VIM. Allan, that would build it another
way; he told me after had given him my
plan Of construction, to go ahead, as he be-
ieved my plan was good one, so then L
constructed it as follows First, l built it
great deal larger than the old one, putting
it in the hillside, 60 feet long at the bottom,
63 feet long at the top-as the front is
straight, only the one end is slanting-119
feet wide at the bottom, II feet in the top,
and Is feet high. My idea of building it
this way, having the top wider than the
bottom, is that when full of ensilage and
the weights put on, (my weights are stone,
which keep away from the outside walls
of the entire pit Is inches,) when it settles
it does not bind itself, but settles evenly all
over the pit. IF the pit is tight on the
outside. that Sc if does not leak and no air
can get in, there VII. witt not be around the
whole pit an inch of waste on the outside,
which is certainly profitable to any one
using ensilage.
Quite number of my neighbors, who
had to rebuild their pits, visited mine; also
some gentlemen from Carroll county asked
me for my Plan, which 1 gave them, and
the result was they told me they had not
an inch of loss.
will now tell you what kind of ground
l take 1t is corn-stalk ground from the
year previous 1 manure it very heavily,
pillow it, harrow and roll, get it in good con-
dition, lay it off one way three feet apart.
use no drill, as l have boys to SOW it into
the rows, and cover it with corn drag. |
plant one bushel to the acre of Blunt's Proli-
fic corn, as it makes more ensilage to the acre
and is of large growth, sweeter than the
common field corn, and stands as well as
any other corn. work my corn twice.
Before working it the first time put one
hundred and fifty pounds of plaster to the
acre, which is all the fertilizer | use. Then
1 pillow it with my sulky pillow the first time
with my small shovels inside the second
time. With both large shovels inside and
out man can pillow seven OR eight acres a
day easily, by finishing row as he goes.
As for the cost, it is useless for me to
write, as it has been told so often in your
paper, but this l say, l can prepare it as
cheap, if not cheaper, than any other far
mer, as I have so many boys. 1t is useless
for me to say how much l raise to the acre,
as l raise as much, if not more, than any of
my neighbors, for my corn makes larger
yield, nor do deem it necessary for me to
tell you of my cutting and putting it in the
pit
Before l put any ensilage in my pit L
NOW lot of green grass, which l put ia
the bottom of the pit to keep the ensilage
from the ground. When the ensilage is
taken out, the cattle eat this grass as well
as ensilage. 1 use two sacks of ground
alumni salt to every hundred tons cut. L
have four mules with two boys riding them
to pack it all the time we are filling it up.
When the pit is full put about foot of
fine straw on it, then foot to fifteen inches
of stone, as l said before for weights. L
have no roof, but place straw-rick over
the top of the pit. When / commence to
use it cut six feet at time at one end.
This is my seven years experience with en-
sila9e, and in that time have never missed
year having ensiage first class, That l
am now feeding is as good as when l COM
menced feeding last fall.
V. ]. CLoUsHER,
Farm Supt McDonogh Institute, Md.